News

On April 23, Lithuania's President will have a meeting with the President of Finland Ms. Tarja Halonen, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, Speaker of the Parliament Sauli Niinistö, and the Mayor of Helsinki Jussi Pajunen.

The high-level meetings will focus on the development of cooperation around the Baltic Sea, topical environmental and energy issues, Europe's Eastern Partnership, and EU prospects for the future.

President Valdas Adamkus will also participate in a round-table on environmental protection of the Baltic. Lithuanian and Finnish politicians and experts will discuss joint actions in the region. Also, Lithuania's President will open a Lithuanian-Finish Business Forum to be held as part of the visit.

The President will visit the Hietaniemi Cemetery to lay a wreath at the tomb of Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. He will also visit the tomb of Professor Aukusti Robert Niemi, researcher of Lithuanian folklore and promoter of Lithuanian culture who worked in the XIX-XX centuries.

On April 24, President Adamkus will visit the Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant where Unit Three is under construction.

The President will also visit Turku and view the Cathedral and the Sibelius Museum. He will present the Mayor of Turku, Mikko Pukkinen, with a portrait of Kotryna Jogailaitė (Catherine Jagellon) that will be later put on display at the Turku Castle.

Valdas Adamkus will return to Vilnius Friday evening.

                                      PROGRAMME OF THE VISIT

Wednesday, April 22

18:05 Departure from Vilnius to Helsinki

Thursday, April 23
9:00 Official opening of the Lithuanian-Finnish Business Forum
10:00 Official welcoming ceremony in the Presidential Palace
10:10 Exchange of gifts, official photographs
10:20 Tête-à-tête meeting between the President of Lithuania and the President of Finland; meeting of the delegations
11:40 Press conference
12:10 Departure by the President of Lithuania and the President of Finland to the City Hall of Helsinki
12:15 Luncheon at the City Hall of Helsinki hosted by Mayor Jussi Pajunen
14:00 Meeting with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen at the Parliament Building
14:45 Visit to the Parliament Building
14:55 Discussions with Speaker Sauli Niinistö and the chairmen of the parliamentary factions
15:30 Departure to the Hietaniemi Cemetery
15:35 Wreath-laying at the Cross of the Heroes and Marshal Mannerheim's Tomb; flower-laying at the tomb of ethnographer Aukusti Robert Niemi
16:00 The Baltic Sea round table meeting at the Government
19:30 Arrival at the Presidential Palace. Dinner

24 April, Friday

8:30 Arrival at Olkiluoto
10:00 Visit at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant
12:30 Departure to Turku
13:20 Visit at the Turku Castle
13:30 Luncheon at the Turku Castle hosted by Mayor Mikko Pukkinen
15:35 Visit at Sibelius Museum
16:45 Visit to Turku Cathedral
20:45 Departure from Helsinki to Vilnius via Riga.

Press Service of the President